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Pre-War - Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
Benito Mussolini, the Prime Minister of Italy, used a border incident between Ethiopia and the Italian Somaliland as the reason to invade Ethiopia. Mussolini and the Italian army were able to defeat Ethiopia quite easily, very much unlike during the Age of Imperialism, when Italy was unable to overtake Ethiopia. After the invasion of Ethiopia, the League of Nations condemned Italy's actions, but did nothing to stop Italy. This set the stage for Hitler to invade the surrounding countries. -
Pre-War - Munich Conference
During the Munich Conference, major world power leaders gathered. The Leaders of Great Britain, Italy, Germany, France, and more countries met to discuss keeping the peace and limiting any outbreaks of war. It was agreed that Hitler would receive Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia and there would be no further invasions. Hitler and the other leaders agreed, and the Conference was closed smoothly with no opposition. However, the peace was broken by Hitler in the Nazi-Soviet Pact invading Poland. -
Themes - Women in the War (1939 - 1945)
Women during WWII played pivotal roles. In Allied nations, specifically the US, women went to work towards war efforts and even served in uniform. General Eisenhower felt that the war could not have been won without the aid of women in uniform. The Axis Powers however, criticized women's roles in the war, claiming they were only good for having and raising children, and being good wives. Towards the end of the war there was slow incorporation of women in the war industries. -
Themes - Airplanes (1939 - 1945)
Airplanes were new entries into World War II. During World War I, they had only been used for surveillance, but air fights were quite common in WWII. Hitler used airplanes to bomb several European nations, and it was an effective way to weaken the cities so the Nazi army had little resistance in invasion. Great Britain was able to counter the air attacks, forcing Hitler to switch targets. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in airplanes, and the US dropped atomic bombs on Japan forcing their surrender. -
War in the Pacific - Pearl Harbor
The military base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was the site of the surprise attack of the Japanese. This was one of the key events that brought the United States into World War II, as well as out of the Great Depression. On December 8, 1941, one day after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Congress nearly unanimously voted to declare war on Japan. Germany and Italy, the allies of Japan, declared war on the US consequently, and the US reciprocated by declaring war on both Germany and Italy. -
War in Asia - Japanese Invasion of China
Japan controlled the province north of China called Manchuria, and began to extend its influence into the mainland China. The conflict began when China began a full-scale resistance towards Japanese influence in the mainland and Manchuria. The second Sino-Japanese War lasted from 1937-1945, though it wasn't officially declared a war until 1941. There was rapid Japanese advancement into China until 1938, stalemate from 1938-1944, and Allied counterattacks forcing the surrender of Japan in 1945. -
War in Russia - Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler broke his peace treaty with Russia when he invaded in 1941. The Battle of Stalingrad took place from August 1942 - February 1943. It was one of the biggest and bloodiest battles of WWII, but turned the war in favor of the Allies. Nearly 2 million people died, many of them Russian civilians. The Russians held Stalingrad, even in ruins to hold off the Nazis. Eventually, the brutal winter set in, and let the Soviet army to break through the Italian and Nazi armies and reclaim Stalingrad. -
War in Africa - Battle of El Alamein
The Battle of El Alamein was between the British and Nazi-Italian armies in Northern Africa. British Commander Bernard Montgomery was able to force retreat of the German and Italian troops from the base in El Alamein. The Axis Powers had to flee to neighboring Tunisia, but began mining a 40 mile stretch of considerable depth and width. The British army, comprised of soldiers of British colonies, were able to claim complete victory in a matter of 10 days, driving Axis powers from North Africa.. -
War in Europe - D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
An allied effort between the major Allied powers, D-Day was the beginning of the liberation of mainland Europe from Nazi control. Large numbers of Canadian, American, and British troops landed on beaches along France's border in the region called Normandy. Carefully constructed by military strategists, this coordinated attack marked the beginning of the end of the war in Europe. Misleading the Germans of the target, the Allies freed France by late August, and defeated the Germans the next spring -
War in the Pacific - Hiroshima and Nagasaki
On August 6, 1945, an American bomber flew over the Japanese city of Hiroshima and dropped an atomic bomb on the city. On August 9, 1945, another bomber flew over Nagasaki, and dropped another atomic bomb. The atomic bomb had been made pre-WWII in the NY Manhattan Project. The Allies had demanded surrender, but Japan refused. The US then decided on the atomic bomb strategy. After both bombings, Japan's Emperor announced Japan's surrender. The surrender treaty was signed on September 2, 1945.
